Hackamore bit



y 1967 z. c. CUNARD 3,318,069

HACKAMORE B I T Filed Feb. 7, 1966 INVENTOR FIG.3 ZELLJE CCUNARD United States Patent Oflice 3,318,069 HACKAMORE BIT Zellie C. Cunard, Tonawanda, N.Y., assignor to Lillian R. Cunard, Tonawanda, N.Y. Filed Feb. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 525,710 6 Claims. (Cl. 54-6) This invention relates to furniture for horses and the like and, more particularly, to a combination hackamore bit for use on a horse.

The bit disclosed herein can be used as a hackamore which will exert pressure on the nose and chin of the horse, that is, with the bar or bit floating with no pressure on the mouth. It can also be used with fifty percent of the pressure on the nose and chin of the horse and fifty percent of the pressure on the mouth by using screws and locking the adjustable bracket and main bracket together. It can also be used as a regular curb bit by removing the bar 11 from its position shown and replacing it at 7.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved combination hackamore bit.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved combination hackamore and bit wherein the pressure on the nose and chin piece related to the pressure on the mouth piece can be adjusted.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved combination hackamore bit wherein the bit can be used as a simple curb bit and can selectively be used as a combination curb and hack bar.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinatfer more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view of the improved combination hackamore 'bit mounted on a bridle;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the bit shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the bit shown in FIG. 1.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, the bit shown has the main brackets 2 and the adjustable brackets 3, supported on the cheek piece levers 12 by means of a screw 5 having a nut 4 locked thereon and passing through a hole in the cheek piece, a hole in the main bracket, and a hole in the adjustable bracket, and freely supporting them together to rotate relative to each other.

The main bracket and adjusting bracket may be selectively fixed together by means of screws 8 or the screws 8 may be removed and the adjustable brackets 3 will then float relative to the main :brackets around the pivot screw 5.

There will be provided, as shown two each of the spaced cheek pieces, main brackets, and adjustable brackets, and the mouth piece 11 which is a rigid bar will be fixed to the lower end of the adjustable bracket by threading the ends of it there or the like and locked thereto by means of nut 10.

Tht cheek pieces 12 may be flattened adjacent the hole that receives the screw 5, as shown, and the screw 5 freely extending therethrough, as shown.

The cheek pieces 12 are formed in any suitable shape to suit the particular fancy of the individual for whom the bit is designed, but generally they will extend downwardly and rearwardly below the pivot screw 5, then downwardly, and terminate at the lower end at the rings 9 that receive the reins, which rings 9 are swingably received in a conventional manner well known to those familiar with curb bits.

3,318,069 Patented May 9, 1967 The main brackets 2 extend upwardly and forwardly from the pivot 5 and have the nose piece 22, which is in the form of a leather strap fixed thereto by means of suitable rivets shown. The main bracket 2 may be bent outward slightly so that it willbe comfortable for the animal on which it is supported. The check pieces extend upwardly from the hole that receives the screw 5 and terminate in the rigid ring 1, which receives both the chin strap 2' and the head strap 20 in a conventional manner.

A lug 6 is formed on the lower end of the main bracket by bending its end outward below the flattened part of the cheek pieces and in the rear part of the rounded part so that when the pressure of the riders hand on the reins is released, the cheek pieces will swing to a normal position and will be limited in their swinging movement by the lugs 6.

It will be noted that when the screws 8 are removed and a. pressure is exerted on the reins, the nose strap will not exert a pressure on the horses nose and the chin strap will exert a pressure under his chin. If the device is desired to be used as a regular corb bit, the screws 8 will be replaced and the action of the chin or curb strap 2 will be conventional.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A combination bridle bit and hackamore comprismg two laterally spaced main brackets,

two spaced cheek pieces,

pivot means disposed on each said main bracket engaging one said check piece at an intermediate part of each said cheek pieces and swingably supporting a said cheek piece on each said main bracket,

a nose strap,

nose piece means on each said main bracket connected to said nose strap,

a chin strap,

and chin strap support means on said cheek pieces on a first side of said pivot means connected to said chin strap,

and rein means on a second part of said cheek pieces on a side of said pivot means remote from said chin strap support and spaced from said pivot means, two spaced adjustable brackets are supported on said main brackets,

and mouth piece bar means attached to each said adjustable bracket and extending therebetween,

each said adjustable bracket is supported on each said main bracket by said pivot means.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said mouth piece bar is supported on said adjustable brackets at positions spaced from said pivot means on the side thereof remote from said chin strap means.

3. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said mouth piece is a rigid bar.

4. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein stop means is provided on each said main bracket on the side of said pivot means remote from said chin strap,

said stop means being disposed to engage said cheek pieces when said chin strap swings to position remote from said nose pieces thereby limiting further swing of said chin strap means.

5. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said chin strap means comprises a ring rigidly fixed to each said check section and a strap connected to and extending between said rings. 6. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein said rein means comprises rings swingably engaging each said cheek piece.

4 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,041,620 5/1936 Stephens 546 2,512,244 6/1950 De Wolfe 546 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Examiner. 

1. A COMBINATION BRIDLE BIT AND HACKAMORE COMPRISING TWO LATERALLY SPACED MAIN BRACKETS, TWO SPACED CHEEK PIECES, PIVOT MEANS DISPOSED ON EACH SAID MAIN BRACKET ENGAGING ONE SAID CHEEK PIECE AT AN INTERMEDIATE PART OF EACH SAID CHEEK PIECES AND SWINGABLY SUPPORTING A SAID CHEEK PIECE ON EACH SAID MAIN BRACKET, A NOSE STRAP, NOSE PIECE MEANS ON EACH SAID MAIN BRACKET CONNECTED TO SAID NOSE STRAP, A CHIN STRAP, AND CHIN STRAP SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID CHEEK PIECES ON A FIRST SIDE OF SAID PIVOT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CHIN STRAP, AND REIN MEANS ON A SECOND PART OF SAID CHEEK PIECES ON A SIDE OF SAID PIVOT MEANS REMOTE FROM SAID CHIN STRAP SUPPORT AND SPACED FROM SAID PIVOT MEANS, TWO SPACED ADJUSTABLE BRACKETS ARE SUPPORTED ON SAID MAIN BRACKETS, AND MOUTH PIECE BAR MEANS ATTACHED TO EACH SAID ADJUSTABLE BRACKET AND EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN, EACH SAID ADJUSTABLE BRACKET IS SUPPORTED ON EACH SAID MAIN BRACKET BY SAID PIVOT MEANS. 